Peer Reviews

Paradigm Shift is more than a Werewolf-in-the-city story. It's good Cop fiction first and foremost.

We enter the world of Paradigm Shift almost backwards: the Werewolf doesn't really appear until late in the first section. Kate, the female lead and potential Werewolf, has no idea of what's happening at first; and we are introduced to her particular "problem" by means of side issues like ultra fast healing and sudden bursts of more than human speed and strength.

She is becoming aware that something is happening, but hasn't seemligly connected her odd capacities with her changing body, other than in a few nightmare remberances and in a stray hallucination or two. While the assumption is that she is a classic Werewolf killing machine; there are clues that perhaps she isn't. It would be fascinating to have her shifted into the Wolf, yet retaining her cop mentality and personality; but Dirk Tiede keeps us wondering, just like his hero, Kate. Is she a monster or not? The street hoods she deals with certainly are. It will be very interesting to see just how she winds up, once the Change is complete; is she the classic mindless monster, or is she someone who is going to keep the criminals checking under their beds to make sure she isn't hiding there.

In a word, Excellent; as a mystery involving Kate, and as a Cop story set in Chicago.

I found this comic by chance and thought it was fantastic. The illustration is great, and the storyline keeps me guessing. There is such a build-up to what is going to happen! I can't wait to see.Thanks for having such a wonderful comic. If I hadn't found it, then I would have never known about Webcomics Nation. Now I have my own comic here, and it's great.
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This is one off the best web-comics I ever read on the internet. Give it a try, you'll like it!

Paradigm Shift tells the story of two policemen that have to plunge in the blurry realm between reality and the paranormal. They are forced to investigate the case of a brutal murderer, that seems to eat parts of its' victims. Is it a human?! Or is there some beast loose on the streets of Chicago?!

This crime-drama is probably one off the best webcomics I've recently found on the internet. I adored the beautiful, detailled backgrounds in combination with the brutal action and the gripping storyline. I'm really looking forward to future episodes. :)

In Scott McCloud's new book, he spends a whole chapter on the importance of backgrounds and locations, and how too many cartoonist today ignore them. Dirk is not one of them.

Paradigm Shift has one of the strongest senses of location of any web comic I've read. Dirk takes his time on the cityscapes, the police department hallways, the back alleys and mag lines, and the result is a Chicago familiar to those that have been, and vivid even to those that haven't. Creators that fill the space around their characters will gradient fills and blurry suggestions of vague spaces could learn a lot from this comic.
Of course, I could also talk about Dirk's excellent writing, strong artwork, and compelling characters, but this review can only be so long. Go read the damn comic.
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"Paradigm Shift," by Dirk Tiede, has it all. It's got cops, bad guys, shoot outs, a mystery, a werewolf or werewolves, and is also a love letter to Chicago.

"Paradigm Shift" is different than most manga-inspired web comics. There are no sad girls in the snow, no cat ears, no wacky robot adventures, no gratuitous Japanese. Instead, the writing is solid, with a compelling plot and a mystery that must be solved. The art is likewise tight and professional looking, with stylistic nods to the anime that introduced Dirk to the world of Japanese animation and illustrated books. The series has a lot to sell it, but frankly, it's the scenes and depictions of Chicago that I love the most. The backgrounds (and often, foregrounds) are real places, and easily recognizable... proof of Tiede's craft, and of his home. Throw in a werewolf mystery and you have a series that's a Must Own.
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On the surface Kate McAllister is a Chicago police detective, but deep inside there is something that even she doesn't understand. This manga styled comic is a detective drama, with supernatural undertones.

A lot of people try to mimic the art style of Japanese manga, but Dirk manages to pull it off flawlessly. Excellent art, combined with excellent story-telling make Paradigm Shift hard to stop reading.
Be sure to pay attention to the exquisitely rendered backgrounds which are often real-life Chicago locations. Especially if you're a Chicagoan, or if you've ever been to Chicago, you'll be saying "I know that place!" many times while reading Paradigm Shift.
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Okay, this may be just me, but I don't know of too many well-done web comics about police. That's a pity, because cop drama is danged popular, and one of my favourite genres.

Thank goodness for Dirk Tiede's Paradigm Shift. It's writing is taut, the drama and mystery is strong, and it's hella easy on the eyes. The characters aren't stereotypes and bumbling fools, nor is setting ignored. This is a Chicago story, and buildings, overpasses and alleys are recognisable and lovingly drawn.

But you're saturated by that other media with cop drama, don't worry. Paradigm Shift has a bit of a surprise for you.
... read it now!